I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 114: Monks and nuns do business, Sansi collects money, I, the Buddha, are merciful
The twelfth day of the first lunar month.

Fang Youniang's information appeared in Su Liang's hands.

Fang Youniang, 19 years old, from Qiantang, unmarried.

I came to Bianjing in March last year. Her family background is unknown. It is said that she is the niece of Qian Yourong, the shopkeeper of Panyuelou (women's clothing store).

The current accountant and embroiderer in Panyue Building.

Because of her very beautiful appearance, she was harassed by several dandies, but they were all driven away by Qian Yourong.

He had no contact with the officials, merchants, or relatives of the clan in Bianjing City.

……

Su Liang saw this information and murmured: "Maybe I'm overthinking, she's just an ordinary girl who is good at female celebrities."

……

On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, it was just dawn.

The officials lined up and appeared in the ban.

In previous years, during the first court meeting after the festival, the monarch and his ministers usually talked and laughed and looked forward to the future.

But this time, the focus is definitely on whether to ban monks and nuns from doing business.

Many officials have prepared drafts and thought of their rhetoric.

Even the officials who were in the audience stuffed a few extra snacks into their stomachs in advance.

To prevent fainting due to standing for too long.

After a while.

All ministers gathered in Daqing Hall.

Zhao Zhen strode towards the dragon chair. Before he could sit down completely, he saw Bao Zheng striding out with his chest puffed out.

Zhao Zhen smiled helplessly.

He originally wanted to look forward to this year to the ministers and talk about last year's achievements and this year's plans.

Now it seems that we still need to resolve the matters left over from last year first.

"Bao Qing, please first tell me your views on monks and nuns doing business!"

Bao Zheng puffed up his chest and said, "I have thought about it again and again and feel that monks and nuns should not be prohibited from doing business!"

Swish!
All the officials were dumbfounded.

Xia Song couldn't help being stunned, and thought to himself: "Could it be that King Bao Yan was bribed by some monk or nun?"

A faint smile appeared on Su Liang's face.

Bao Zheng continued: "Currently, there are hundreds of temples in Kaifeng. In addition to daily consumption, these temples also have many Buddhist activities and need to receive the royal family, courtiers, and foreign envoys. In addition, they repair and renovate Buddhist statues in temples, print Buddhist scriptures, and All charitable activities require money. Now that the imperial treasury is tight, it is natural that the Third Division cannot be asked to spend this money. If monks and nuns are prohibited from doing business, all these functions of the temple will be abolished, which can almost be said to be the destruction of monks. It really shouldn’t be done!”

Upon hearing this, the Third Chief of Staff Wang Yaochen couldn't help but nodded in approval.

not far away.

One of the courtiers swallowed a mouthful of saliva with a look of disbelief.

Bao Zheng actually stated his reasons for supporting the monks and nuns' business preparations.

"The most important thing is that the ancestral family law is irreversible. We should really follow Taizong's aspirations and promote Buddhism instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach that would make it difficult for Buddhism and Buddhism to survive."

"but--"

These two words have an extremely long sound.

"However, on the premise that I do not prohibit monks and nuns from doing business, do not give up my policy of worshiping Buddha, and do not violate the laws of my ancestors, I still thought of a way to manage the world's monks and nuns."

After hearing this "but", the officials couldn't help but become nervous.

Bao Zheng continued: "I believe that the business of monks and nuns can still continue. On the premise of not bullying the people and violating the laws of the Song Dynasty, we can even introduce the strategy of recruiting officials to help the temples do business, but we must establish a person who can take charge of the temples. The money supervision yamen.”

"Buddha was born to benefit all people in the world, and the profits earned by monks should not be attributed to private individuals."

"The minister suggested that a new general accountant of temple affairs should be established in the third department. All income and expenses of the temple should be put into the temple treasury. Several monks should be set up to be in charge of business, and other monks should concentrate on studying Buddhism and religious affairs. The daily operation of the temple Supervision is left to the local state government. All money earned by the temple benefits the people and is not used for other purposes..."

Bao Zheng said a lot impassionedly.

The officials also gradually understood.

Monks and nuns can continue to make money, but the money they make must go into the Sansi temple treasury, not their personal pockets.

When a temple makes money from business, it needs to benefit the people, provide disaster relief, run schools, print books, etc., not for money, but to demonstrate the realm of Buddhism that can save all sentient beings.

Just like the state schools and county schools in various states and counties, they are places that benefit the people and meet their needs, rather than making money for their own use.

simply speaking--

In the past, monks and nuns were gathering wool for the imperial court.

Now the monks and nuns not only have to herd sheep for the court, but also all the wool they get must be handed over to the court for unified processing.If you don't agree, then cancel the monk's membership and destroy the ultimatum.

From now on, being a monk or nun will not be so comfortable.

Those officials who were prepared to confront Bao Zheng were dumbfounded.

They found that they could not attack Bao Zheng.

Bao Zheng's strategy neither violated ancestral family law nor denigrated the status of monks and nuns. It only created new official positions to limit the monks' profit-making chaos.

The purpose of monks and nuns doing business was forced to become: to use Buddhism to save all sentient beings.

And, it can only have such a purpose.

Just then, an official seemed to step forward.

But after he took half a step, all the admonishers not far away turned around.

Swish!Swish!Swish!
The admonishing officer's eyes looked straight at the official with a hint of murderous intent.

The official hesitated immediately!
If he cannot explain himself, these Taiwanese admonishers will discredit him and even make him a laughing matter.

Nowadays, the lethality of Taiwan's admonishment officers is so terrifying that no one is willing to try it.

The official coughed twice, retracted his outstretched leg, lowered his head, and acted as if nothing happened.

And this moment.

Zhao Zhen's face showed a satisfied smile,
In the past, the way the court solved problems was basically as follows: when problems arise, officials pass the buck, Zhongshu/Third Secretary admits their mistakes, and officials are forcibly assigned to solve the problem. If the problem is not solved, Zhao Zhen and Xi Ni, the assigned officials take the blame...

But now, there are only two steps to solve the problem. Officials raise the problem and officials give solutions.

This ethos was due to Su Liang, Ouyang Xiu and others, who were very well prepared for every debate and presentation, and never spoke empty words.

Nowadays, when discussing anything in the court, if an official has not done his homework but still wants to suppress other officials by relying on his ancestral family law, the court's reputation, the honor of being a scholar-bureaucrat, etc., it is simply impossible.

As for the political affairs in the court, if you preach without knowing the situation, you will definitely be criticized to a fault by the Taiwanese admonishers.

At this moment, the officials had nothing to say.

Xia Song also lowered his head.

Bao Zheng's solution surprised him, and he really didn't know how to deal with it.

At the same time, Wang Yaochen, the Third Chief of Staff, showed a smile.

All the money earned by the monks and nuns in the temple will go to the three departments for unified distribution, so he is naturally happy.

For example, if a monk sells a certificate of salvation, it does not mean that he cannot sell it, but after the sale, the money belongs to the court, and the monk just converted a destined person.

How could Wang Yaochen not be happy when monks and nuns were doing business, and the three ministers were collecting money?

Suddenly, Wang Yaochen took the lead to stand up.

"Officials, I think Bao Xueshi's plan is very good. After the officials intervene in the management of the temple, it will be difficult for the monks and nuns to store too much money, and they will concentrate on worshiping the Buddha. The scandals like those that happened years ago will be greatly reduced. .Buddhism requires respecting the Buddha but not the monks. I believe that this policy is an act of respecting the Buddha!"

Respect the Buddha but not the Sangha.

This sentence took Bao Zheng's strategy to another level.

"My minister agrees!"

"My minister agrees!"

"My minister agrees!"

……

Several officials strode out with great momentum and seconded their opinions.

"Just follow this strategy and Zhongshu will assist Kaifeng Mansion in formulating a detailed strategy!" Zhao Zhen said.

"My lord, I obey!" All the ministers raised their hands in unison.

Followed by.

Zhao Zhen then talked about the reform and development of the court last year, from the Qizhou Reform to the chaos in Shuzhou, from the Official Investment Law to the southern suburbs market...

A full hour.

Zhao Zhen spoke with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm.

Xia Song, Chen Zhizhong, Wu Yu and other veterans seemed to have seen the 24-year-old Zhao Zhen.

That year.

Zhao Zhen had just taken charge and was in high spirits.

He told those close to him that he wanted to regain Yanyun, conquer Xixia personally, and create a prosperous Song Dynasty comparable to the prosperous Tang Dynasty...

(End of this chapter)